Phoenix TV Installed Omneon Media Server and Server Systems

Omneon, Inc. announced that Phoenix TV, a Mandarin-language broadcaster reaching 42 million viewers on the Chinese mainland and audiences in international markets, has transitioned to file-based operations with the installation of Omneon Spectrum media server and MediaDeck server systems.

Situated at the heart of Phoenix TV’s new tapeless production and broadcast model, the Omneon systems ensure highly reliable transmission and versatile news playout.

"We incorporated the Omneon systems into our studios because they support the native formats required by our tapeless workflow and because of their flexible bandwidth and storage capacity, which we can easily scale up and expand to match our needs," said Wicky Law, engineering manager at Phoenix TV. "Our ability to play out media without concern for format both simplifies media handling for our staff and reduces the time and cost required to get media to air."

From its facilities in Tai Po, Hong Kong, Phoenix TV offers programs including political and economic news, current affairs, talk shows, film and music reviews, and movies and miniseries of both Chinese and foreign origin. Integrated with a Dayang news automation system, the Omneon systems support faster, more flexible news playout. The compact, cost-efficient MediaDeck system is ideal for studio playout applications, providing broadcast-quality performance and ensuring the continuity of Phoenix TV broadcasts. In transmission, the Spectrum media server likewise provides the reliable performance and day-to-day stability critical to maximizing uptime and service quality.

The Omneon server systems have replaced VTRs and legacy server systems, enabling Phoenix TV to eliminate costs associated with tape itself and with ongoing maintenance of VTR machines. The modular design of Omneon storage and playout systems provides the broadcaster with an easily extensible foundation for future growth.

"As broadcasters move away from limiting and inefficient tape-based workflows, they can leverage the format flexibility of the Spectrum media server and MediaDeck systems to make the most of their new file-based workflows," said Geoff Stedman, senior vice president, marketing and business development at Omneon. "Robust format support, proven performance, and a modular, fully redundant design make these server systems an easy choice for demanding broadcast operations such as Phoenix TV."